Improvement in earth-closets



` ofHAnLnS" A. WAKEFIEELD, ,onA PtTTSFrEnD, MaSSoHUS'n'rrs'.

"i-MPROVEMENTJN EARTH-choeurs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115.2156, dated'- May23, 1871.

To all whom it may coaccrm" Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WAKE- FIELD,of Pittsiield,in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in EarthlGlosets, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference beinghad to the accompanyiug drawings, forming part of this specification,and in which- Figures 1 and 2 represent vertical sections of anearth-closet constructed in accordance with myinventiom showing theoperative por.- tious in diiferent positions; and Fig. 3, a hori-`zontal section through the line m w in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre# sponding parts.`

My invention `is applicable to both indoor and outdoor closets, but ishere shown as applied to a closet for indoor use. In certain of itsfeatures it resembles the earth-closet for "which LettersPatent of theUnited States were issued to me May 17, 1870; but, apart from otheradditions and differences, instead of using an earthslide arranged toform the bottom of the hopper, and provided with a series of opening andclosing ilaps that in the operal tion ofthe slide work on or over aseries of steps to discharge the earth at different and advancingpoints, I use a pendent hopper-bottom arranged to swing backward andforward, and provided with a front chamber fitted with a drop valve orap forming its bottom, that in the back swing of the pendent bottom isclosed by its travel over suitable guides or ways, but that opens todischarge its load of earth when swung forward. A pendent hopper-bottomoperating to discharge earth as required works more freely or with lessfriction thana slide, and a single `iap, instead of a series of iiaps,one in advance of the other, sufices; thereby making the vconstructionsimpler and less expensive. L l The invention also includes a slottedchute `arranged to receive the earth as it is discharged from thehopper, and to project a portion `ot' it forward over the excrement tobev coveredand to sprinkle the remainder of it in .the rear, for the`purpose of ei'ecting a more general or perfect `distribution of theearth overthe wholesurface ot' the deposit.Y

`Referring tothe accompanying drawings, A

l represents the hopper `for the deodorizing ma- F is the pendenthopper-bottom, arranged to swing, as by arms b, from pivots c at eitherside ofthe hopper, and of a curved form corre#y sponding to the lowerend of the latter, and in conformity with the motion described asswinging from the pivots c. Thus hung, the movable hopper-bottom isrelieved of objectionable friction and interference to its motion byearth getting under it, as is apt to occur with a slide. This pendentbottom F, accordingly as it is swung backward or forward, and which maybe done in an automatic manner through a rod, d, by the opening andclosing of the lid (l, or otherwise, serves to close and 'establishegress for the earth from the hopper A, egress therefrom beingestablished when said bottom is swung backward, as represented in Fig.2,

`when a charge of earth is deposited through an outlet in front of thependent bottom to or within what may b'e termed a charging-chamber orlower swinging section, e, ot' said hopper, that is fitted with a flap,f, forming its bottom. This ap is closed when the chamber c is receivinga charge of earth by (in th'e back swing of the hopper-bottom, to whichsaid chamber is attached) its being dragged over ways or guides g, butdrops or opens, preferably to an inclined position, in a forwardly anddownwardly direction when the hopperbottom is swung forward to close thebottom of the main hopper A, and the flap f falls over the ends of theways g to dump or project the Y charge of earth conveyed or taken fromthe hopper by the pendent chamber e to and over the soil in the pitl) orpan E. To effect a 'more general or perfect distribution of the earth,however, over the excrement in the pit or pan, the earth is caused topass as it is delivered by the pendentl chamber downV a rear chute, Gr,arranged to receive the earth from the iiap f and to conduct it over thedeposit in front. This chute is formed with slots h in it, extendingrearwardly from its front edge, so that as the earth slides down over ita portion thereof is sprinkled or falls through the said slot in thechute to cover the rear surface ot wise, and so that as said lid israised and lovv-V Y, Y A ered in the use of the closet the agitator isworked to break up the earth.

What is here claimed, and desired to be sel cured by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with the hopper A, of the pendent swinginghopper-bottom F, provided With a charging-chamber, e, having a valve orilap bottom, for operation as shown and described.

2. The ingered sprinkling-chute G, constructed and arranged foroperation in relation with the earth-hopper and soil pit or chainber,delivering the earth between and beyond their ends, essentially as shownand described.

t A OHAS. A. WAKEFIELD.

Witnesses:

It. B. BARDWELL, J r., M. L. PARKER.

